Ajiro Concept Velomobile By Alexander Vittouris

The Ajiro is the brainchild of designer Alexander Vittouris and has been designed as an urban personal mobility system that is grown naturally rather than being created in a manufacturing plant. The designer aims to grow the skeletal frame of this velomobile on bamboo plants using the technique of arborsculpture.

Using bamboo and its rapid growth rate, coupled with the structural integrity of bamboo, the vehicle becomes ideal for the formation of a unique urban personal mobility. Conventionally, the modification of wooden and bamboo materials is done post harvesting, by using energy intensive methods such as heat bending. However, in this proposal the skeletal structure of the vehicle is grown on the plant, using the energy derived from the plant’s natural processes.
The velomobile concept also helps in keeping the air clean as it derives all energy required for propulsion using human power. While the rear wheels of the vehicle act as the steering mechanism, the front wheels provide power input. The designer states that the Ajiro concept is all about rethinking the approach to both design and ecological sustainability of the products that are created, as similar approaches are required for a greener world.
Designer: Alexander Vittouris | Source: Ecofriend.com

2 Comments

Not bad, I love velomobiles. I don’t particularly love the idea of making it out of bamboo thought. Give me some steel : ). In case someones going to jump onto the ‘aluminum is lighter’ boat, it’s not. Pound for pound, steel can be stronger than aluminum. But generally, they are both the same strength. Aluminum weighs 1/3rd as much, but is 1/3rd as strong. Simple enough to understand.

Actually, on a weight/strength basis, bamboo is surprisingly close to both steel and aluminium. Think about regions in Asia and India that make houses and bridges from bamboo. Most people percieve bamboo as weak…its not. A fully mature culm as it seems is suggested in the design would easily hold an adults weight.